In an attempt to reach out to young voters in Manipur prior to the upcoming Manipur Assembly election scheduled in February next, the Chief Electoral Officer of Manipur has opened a facebook account to entertain enquiries and complains from voters in Manipur. The opening of the facebook account was a part of the mass campaign of the election office to reach out to voters and educate them about the electoral process. As part of the mass campaign adopted by the Election department of Manipur to encourage more electorates’ participation, the Chief Electoral Officer of Manipur has opened a facebook account. The facebook account under the user ID Ceo was opened by the Chief Electoral Officer of Manipur at a simple function on Monday held at the CEO office in Imphal. Opening the facebook account at, the Chief Electoral Officer of Manipur, PC Lawmkunga informed that the facebook account will be used as an interactive forum with young voters and educate them of the electoral process by putting up easy to learn materials on enrolment in photo electoral rolls, electors photo identity card, use of EVMs. Monday’s facebook account opening is said to a part of an endeavor from the election department of Manipur called Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) which is aimed at inducing more voters’ participation and to educate voters about electoral process. Apart from social networking, the Election department will also be launching a call centre for addressing and redressing voter’s queries and grievances. On the otherhand, SVEEP which consist of a series of programs including, public rally, seminars and panel discussions will soon be implemented in various parts of Manipur in view of boosting voters’ cast in the upcoming February 2012 Assembly poll.
Monday, July 11, 2011
7TH ANNIVERSARY OF MANORAMA DEVI OBSERVED IN MANIPUR
With a view to highlight the horrors of the AFSPA, the 7th Death Anniversary of Thangjam Manorama Devi was held on Monday which also demanded the complete repeal of the Armed Forces Special Power act from Manipur and other parts of India. Thangjam Manorama Devi, who was raped and killed by a troop of 17th Assam Rifles on 11 July 2004, was remembered at her 7th Death Anniversary function organized by Thangjam Manorama Memorial Trust alongwith the Apunba Lup, held on Monday. At the function held at Bamongampu under Imphal West district of Manipur, the atrocities and crimes committed by the security forces under the Armed Forces Special Power Act, 1958 were highlighted and condemned. While strongly condemning the GOI for imposing the draconian AFSPA in Manipur despite recommendation from the Jeevan Reddy Commission for the repeal of AFSPA, the Manorama Memorial Trusts has demanded the complete repeal of AFSPA from Manipur and elsewhere in India. As part of the function, a floral tribute was paid to Thangjam Manorama Devi by those who attended including Manorama’s family members. Speaking to NETV, Manorama’s mother said only the complete removal of AFSPA from Manipur will do justice for the brutal murder of her daughter. It may be mentioned that Thangjam Manorama Devi who was an alleged PLA cadre was picked up from her resident at Bamongampu under Imphal east district on the night of 10 July, 2004 by troop of 17 Assam Rifles, the next morning her death body which was badly mutilated was recovered. The incident caused a mass public outcry and intense agitations demanding justice for the raping and killing Manorama Devi by security personnel. Later, a judicial inquiry commission to the killing of Manorama headed by retd Supreme Court Judge, Jeevan Reddy recommended that AFSPA be removed from Manipur but no response came from both the GOI and Government of Manipur.
